ASHEVILLE — Representatives of a proposed 272-unit apartment complex in South Asheville plan to go back before City Council in hopes of amending conditions of agreed-upon traffic upgrades near the site before starting construction next year.

Traffic has been the focal point of discussion for almost two years on developer Rusty Pulliam's $41-million apartment project at 60 Mills Gap Road, the former site of a plastic-injection molding company. The project promises to construct two, four-story apartment buildings on the 15-acre property along with parking, a fitness center and a dog park, among other amenities.

Still, it has met opposition at points from residents, including some concerned about how an influx of apartments would impact traffic on Sweeten Creek and Mills Gap roads.

Chris Day, a senior project manager at Civil Design Concepts, who is working with Pulliam, said traffic often has been the "primary and only conversation." Day sought feedback from about 30 residents Wednesday in a public forum ahead of the latest development, which he said requires asking the city to amend terms of traffic enhancements for the roads bordering the property.

The development team anticipates the enhancements only will be between "50-75 percent" complete by the end of year, which won't be complete in time for vertical construction to begin in January.

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A development that could bring a 272-unit apartment complex to a former industrial site in South Asheville is on track to begin vertical construction early next year.(Photo: Dillon Davis/dwdavis@citizen-times.com)

The reason is related to winter weather — as asphalt companies tend to close over the winter and it's increasingly difficult to lay the surface in cold and wet conditions.

Day said the development group will request from the city a performance bond for the remaining road infrastructure as well as additional language allowing them to move forward with construction in January while also assessing progress of road improvements.

"Everything is moving forward again and you can see the construction out there on site," he said. "But we are running into Mother Nature so we are looking to add the mechanism the city puts in place for these scenarios, which is to bond whatever infrastructure might be outstanding."

Pulliam was not in attendance during Wednesday's meeting, though Phil Payonk, a partner in the project, was. Pulliam told the Citizen-Times earlier this week that he doesn't believe he's "asking for anything that’s out of line," but what is necessary to get the project finished sometime in 2019.

He said the project has been delayed beyond its original intentions due to negotiating development terms with community leaders. He's also attempted to coordinate road upgrades with the North Carolina Department of Transportation, which already has targeted Mills Gap and Sweeten Creek roads for improvements.

Much of the feedback Day and Payonk received Wednesday came as concern, primarily over the developers reneging on commitments if allowed to move ahead with construction before road upgrades are done.

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Chris Day, a senior project manager at Civil Design Concepts, who is working with developer Rusty Pulliam, discusses plans Wednesday for a 272-unit apartment complex at 60 Mills Gap Road in South Asheville.(Photo: Dillon Davis/dwdavis@citizen-times.com)

That was part of the discussion for Vijay Kapoor, a South Asheville resident currently campaigning for a City Council seat. Kapoor has been critical of the Pulliam project as well as a proposed subdivision on Overlook Road, both of which have concerns related to traffic congestion.

"This was a long, drawn-out process that's brought a lot of people together and people have spent a lot of time looking at it," he said.

Kapoor added that nobody is trying to stop the project; rather, he said neighbors "just want to make sure we're doing what we agreed to do."

Day said the development team plans to honor its commitments, including constructing a right turn lane along eastbound Mills Gap Road and widening Mills Gap between Sweeten Creek Road and Casteel Lane to assist in extending the westbound turn lane. The apartment complex will average out at $1,200 a month for two-bedroom units.

Of the 272 planned apartments, 41 are marked as affordable units, another condition agreed upon last year.

Additionally, NCDOT Division 13 Construction Engineer Rick Tipton said in an email this week the agency has shared renderings of NCDOT improvements with Pulliam, but that the projects are "evolving and far from complete."

"The Division 13 staff works closely with new developers across a seven-county territory to coordinate their private developments with public projects to ensure safe access and travel while minimizing costs to residents," Tipton said.

The development group said it could work on amending its contract as soon as the Nov. 1 Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. It then would need to approved by City Council.

"Everybody has worked well together," Pulliam argued this week. "We’re just asking the city to work with us."